The Malaysian government has entered “crisis mode” in response to the ongoing global energy supply disruption, its transport minister has warned.
“This is not a laughing or joking matter. It is a very, very serious matter,” Transport Minister Anthony Loke said on Tuesday, as quoted by the New Straits Times newspaper. “For the past month, energy costs have risen by more than 100 per cent.”
According to news website Free Malaysia Today, Loke said: “Even though at this moment our lights are still on and petrol stations are operating normally without supply concerns, this is something Malaysians cannot take lightly because the impact is felt worldwide.”
Global fuel shortages have been brought on by Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes that began on February 28.
While Malaysians had not noticed any changes yet, Loke said that “we cannot take things for granted, because sooner or later, we will feel the impact”.
He said that although Malaysia produced its own oil, it was still dependent on global markets and external supply chains.